Measure Horse Height Note: Links with green underlines are shopping links and will open in a new window How To Measure Horse Height It's easy to measure you horse's height accurately. To determine how tall a horse is measure the horse, in inches, from the ground in a straight line up to the highest point of the withers. This is illustrated in the photo below by the yellow line. Above: The height of a horse is properly measured, in inches, from the ground to the highest point of the withers. For the most accurate measurement the horse should be on firm, level ground with its front feet even, or close to even. Calculating The Results After you have measured your horse you will need to convert the results from inches to "hands." Horse height is correctly referred to by a unit of measurement known as a "hand." One hand is equal to four inches. The gray mare in the photo above is 58 inches from the ground to the top of her withers. When 58 is divided by 4, you have 14.5. The 14 is the number of hands, and the .5 means another half of a hand, or another 2 inches.

This means she is 14 and one-half hands tall. Correctly Writing And Speaking The Results The correct way of writing "14 and one-half hands" is to write "14.2". It is not correct to write it as "14.5". When correctly written, the number before the period is the number of hands, and the number after the period is the remaining number of inches. The number after the period should NOT stand for a fraction. Horseman usually say a measurement like this one out loud as "fourteen two" or "fourteen and a half." A Few Examples Below are a few examples of how to correctly write down a horse's height. Remember, the number in front of the period is for hands and the number after the period is the remaining inches.

15 - This is a correct way of writing that a horse is 15 hands tall 15.0 - Another correct way of writing that a horse is 15 hands tall 15.1 - This is the correct way of writing that a horse is 15 hands, 1 inch tall 15.2 - This is the correct way of writing that a horse is 15 hands, 2 inches tall 15.3 - This is the correct way of writing that a horse is 15 hands, 3 inches tall 15.4 - Wrong! This means that a horse is 15 hands, 4 inches tall. Since a hand is equal to four inches, this horse is actually 16 hands tall. 15.5 - Wrong again! Some people incorrectly use the number after the period to stand for fractions of a hand, but it should stand for inches. So, some people write "15.5" to mean 15 and a half hands, but this should correctly be written as "15.2". If you like, you can add "hh" to a measurement, as in "15.1hh".

The "hh" stands for "hands high." Horse Measuring Devices There are measuring devices on the market for horses that have hand and inches measurements marked on them. Some devices are rigid poles with short cross bars toward the top that can be raised or lowered to rest on a horse's withers. These are very handy and give accurate measurements easily. Another common device is a horse height/weight tape , which is a special tape measure with hands and inches marked on it. These are inexpensive and are accurate if the person doing the measuring makes sure to run the tape straight up and down, and to read the measurement at a level angle. Where Did "Hands" Come From? As stated above, a horse's height is measured in hands. The origin of measuring a horse this way is very old, but easy to understand. In days long ago people did not have the common measuring devices (like tape measures, etc.) that we do today. To measure a horse, they used what was handy (no pun intended): Their hands.

At various times in history and in different locales a "hand" was defined as the with of a person's hand using the fingers only, the width of a person's hand using the fingers and the thumb, the height of a clenched fist, and possibly others. Somewhere along the way, the measuring unit of a hand was standardized to mean four inches. Though the origins are ancient, a hand is still the unit of measurement for horses that modern horse owners use today. Miscellaneous Units of Measure Math > Measurement Miscellaneous Units of Measure Below is information about units of measure, including acre, bolt, gross, hertz, knot, light-year, parsec, pi, ream, sound, square, stone, and more. 93,000,000 miles, the average distance of the earth from the sun. Used for astronomy. bale A large bundle of goods. In the U.S., the approximate weight of a bale of cotton is 500 pounds. The weight varies in other countries. board foot (fbm) 144 cubic inches (12 in. × 12 in. × 1 in.). Used for lumber. bolt British thermal unit.

Amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit (252 calories). carat (c) 200 milligrams or 3.086 grains troy. Originally the weight of a seed of the carob tree in the Mediterranean region. Used for weighing precious stones. chain (ch) A chain 66 feet or one-tenth of a furlong in length, divided into 100 parts called links. One mile is equal to 80 chains. Used in surveying and sometimes called Gunter's or Surveyor's chain. cubit Unit of relative loudness. One decibel is the smallest amount of change detectable by the human ear. ell, English 11/4 yards or 1/32 bolt. Used for measuring cloth. freight, ton (also called measurement ton) 40 cubic feet of merchandise. Used for cargo freight. great gross 12 dozen or 144. hand 4 inches or 10.16 cm. Derived from the width of the hand. Used for measuring the height of horses at withers. Modern unit for measurement of electromagnetic wave frequencies (equivalent to “cycles per second”).

hogshead (hhd) The power needed to lift 33,000 pounds a distance of one foot in one minute (about 11/2 times the power an average horse can exert). Used for measuring power of steam engines, etc. karat (kt) A measure of the purity of gold, indicating how many parts out of 24 are pure. For example: 18-karat gold is 3/4 pure. Sometimes spelled carat. knot Not a distance, but the rate of speed of one nautical mile per hour. Used for measuring speed of ships. league light-year 5,880,000,000,000 miles, the distance light travels in a vacuum in a year at the rate of 186,281.7 miles (299,792 kilometers) per second. (If an astronomical unit were represented by one inch, a light-year would be represented by about one mile.) Used for measurements in interstellar space. magnum parsec Approximately 3.26 light-years or 3.08 × 1013 km (1.92 × 1013 mi).

Term is combination of first syllables of parallax and second, and distance is that of imaginary star when lines drawn from it to both Earth and the Sun form a maximum angle or parallax of one second (1/3600 degree). Used for measuring interstellar distances. pi (π) 3.14159265+. The ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. For practical purposes, the value is used to four decimal places: 3.1416. pica 1/6 inch or 12 points. Used in printing for measuring column width, etc. pipe 2 hogsheads. Used for measuring wine and other liquids. point .013837 (approximately 1/72) inch or 1/12 pica. Used in printing for measuring type size. quintal 100,000 grams or 220.46 pounds avoirdupois. quire Used for measuring paper. Sometimes 24 sheets but more often 25. There are 20 quires to a ream. ream Used for measuring paper.

Sometimes 480 sheets, but more often 500 sheets. roentgen International Unit of radiation exposure produced by X-rays. score 20 units. sound, speed of Usually placed at 1,088 ft. per second at 32°F at sea level. It varies at other temperatures and in different media. span 9 inches or 22.86 cm. Derived from the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger when both are outstretched. square 100 square feet. Used in building. stone Legally 14 pounds avoirdupois in the U.K. therm 100,000 Btus. township U.S. land measurement of almost 36 square miles. The south border is 6 miles long. The east and west borders, also 6 miles long, follow the meridians, making the north border slightly less than 6 miles long. Used in surveying.

tun Miscellaneous Units of Measure Math > Measurement Miscellaneous Units of Measure Below is information about units of measure, including acre, bolt, gross, hertz, knot, light-year, parsec, pi, ream, sound, square, stone, and more. 93,000,000 miles, the average distance of the earth from the sun. Used for astronomy. bale A large bundle of goods. In the U.S., the approximate weight of a bale of cotton is 500 pounds. The weight varies in other countries. board foot (fbm) 144 cubic inches (12 in. × 12 in. × 1 in.). Used for lumber. bolt British thermal unit. Amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit (252 calories). carat (c) 200 milligrams or 3.086 grains troy. Originally the weight of a seed of the carob tree in the Mediterranean region. Used for weighing precious stones. chain (ch) A chain 66 feet or one-tenth of a furlong in length, divided into 100 parts called links.

One mile is equal to 80 chains. Used in surveying and sometimes called Gunter's or Surveyor's chain. cubit Unit of relative loudness. One decibel is the smallest amount of change detectable by the human ear. ell, English 11/4 yards or 1/32 bolt. Used for measuring cloth. freight, ton (also called measurement ton) 40 cubic feet of merchandise. Used for cargo freight. great gross 12 dozen or 144. hand 4 inches or 10.16 cm. Derived from the width of the hand. Used for measuring the height of horses at withers. Modern unit for measurement of electromagnetic wave frequencies (equivalent to “cycles per second”). hogshead (hhd) The power needed to lift 33,000 pounds a distance of one foot in one minute (about 11/2 times the power an average horse can exert). Used for measuring power of steam engines, etc. karat (kt) A measure of the purity of gold, indicating how many parts out of 24 are pure. For example: 18-karat gold is 3/4 pure. Sometimes spelled carat.

knot Not a distance, but the rate of speed of one nautical mile per hour. Used for measuring speed of ships. league light-year 5,880,000,000,000 miles, the distance light travels in a vacuum in a year at the rate of 186,281.7 miles (299,792 kilometers) per second. (If an astronomical unit were represented by one inch, a light-year would be represented by about one mile.) Used for measurements in interstellar space. magnum parsec Approximately 3.26 light-years or 3.08 × 1013 km (1.92 × 1013 mi). Term is combination of first syllables of parallax and second, and distance is that of imaginary star when lines drawn from it to both Earth and the Sun form a maximum angle or parallax of one second (1/3600 degree). Used for measuring interstellar distances. pi (π) 3.14159265+. The ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

For practical purposes, the value is used to four decimal places: 3.1416. pica 1/6 inch or 12 points. Used in printing for measuring column width, etc. pipe 2 hogsheads. Used for measuring wine and other liquids. point .013837 (approximately 1/72) inch or 1/12 pica. Used in printing for measuring type size. quintal 100,000 grams or 220.46 pounds avoirdupois. quire Used for measuring paper. Sometimes 24 sheets but more often 25. There are 20 quires to a ream. ream Used for measuring paper. Sometimes 480 sheets, but more often 500 sheets. roentgen International Unit of radiation exposure produced by X-rays. score 20 units. sound, speed of Usually placed at 1,088 ft. per second at 32°F at sea level. It varies at other temperatures and in different media. span 9 inches or 22.86 cm.

Derived from the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger when both are outstretched. square 100 square feet. Used in building. stone Legally 14 pounds avoirdupois in the U.K. therm 100,000 Btus. township U.S. land measurement of almost 36 square miles. The south border is 6 miles long. The east and west borders, also 6 miles long, follow the meridians, making the north border slightly less than 6 miles long. Used in surveying. tun How to Measure a Horse. The Horse Height & Weight | Local Riding Search How to Measure a Horse. The Horse Height & Weight How To Measure a Horses Height and Weight … All horse owners should know how to measure a horse and especially how to estimate your horses weight and specify its height. Your horses weight measurement should be used to calculate how much feed it needs as well as dosage for worming and other medications. Knowing your horses’ height is very important if you are considering selling your horse or entering some classes of equestrian competition, particularly showing classes.

Horse heights conversion table : Horses and ponies are measured in either hands high (hh) or centimetres (cms). The decimal centimetre measurement being the more modern way to measure a horse but quite a few horse owners struggle to compare the two measurements. So, we thought a horse measurement conversion chart would come in handy : Hands 180 Table 13-17.3 – Horse Height Conversion Hands and cms A hand is equal to 4 inches or 10.2cms. You should measure your horse from the point of the withers to the ground. A horse that is 61 inches tall is 15.1 hands or 15 hands and 1 inch or 15.1hh. This is calculated using (61/4 = 15.25); the .25 is the decimal equivalent of one quarter and a quarter of 4 = 1; so 15.1hh.

Alternatively, to calculate the centimetre height either mulitply 61 inches by 2.54 which equals apprx 155cms or divide 61 by 4 and then multiply by 10.2 which again equals approximately 155cms. A pony is 14.2 hands or less at the withers. Calculating your horses weight is a little more complicated : Knowing your horses weight, at least approximately, can be very helpful for such simple things as calculating feed amounts and knowing how much wormer to administer. As it’s not easy to find a weighing machine or scale big enough to accommodate your horse, there are several ways of calculating a horse’s approximate weight. Of course, if you have a farmer friend or have access to livestock scales, then use those for a truly accurate measurement. The following two methods are among the most common approximation methods and provide a good idea of your horses weight. 1. Height and Weight Tapes : Probably the most common method people use to estimate their horses weight is to buy and use a height/weight tape. You simply wrap the tape around your horses girth (aka "heart girth") and read the estimated weight on the tape.

The height and weight tape has been available for many years and horse owners generally feel they are very reliable. They usually come complete with instructions on how to use them. You can find low cost examples on ebay and other online stores. 2. Measuring your horses’ weight using a standard inch tape … Another way to estimate your horses weight is to use a standard inch tape to measure its girth and length. Then, simply perform the following calculation: (((heart-girth x heart-girth) x body-length) divided by 300) + 50 = weight. How to take the horse weight measurements : Step 1. Measuring Heart Girth To measure your horses heart girth, measure (in inches) from the base of the withers down to a couple of inches behind your horses front legs, then under the belly and up the opposite side to where you started. The tape measure should run at an angle as shown by the yellow line in the image on the right. This measurement is your horses heart girth. Step 2. Measuring Body Length To measure your horses body length, measure (in inches) from the point of the shoulder to the point of the hip.

Your tape measure should run at an angle as shown by the yellow line in the image. The measurement you take is your horses body length. Step 3. The calculation Multiply the heart-girth by the heart-girth Multiply the above result by the body-length Divide this result by 300 then add 50 The result is your horses aprroximate body weight. Practical Use & Testing We were curious to know if a height/weight tape would give the same estimated weight for a horse as calculating weight with the manual heart girth and length calculation. We tried both methods on the same horse and you can see the results we came up with below. How close will the results be for each method : Any method that doesn’t actually use a calibrated weight scale is always going to be a rough approximation based on accepted norms, generalities and averages. ie, the average 15.2hh cob type has a heavy chest and shoulders, so will weigh between x and y. The 15.2hh thoroughbred is finely built and will be light for its height. Both methods should be reasonably close but the answers will vary depending on how close your horse is to the average horse.

The height and weight tape doesn’t factor in your horses body length and, as we all know, a tall horse can be short backed and a short horse can have a long body. So, we measured our 6 year old, 16.3hh (170cms) thoroughbred warmblood cross. She’s a big girl and well covered due to the wet summer, hot autumn and plentiful grass. The height/weight tape gave us a value between 1320lbs (600kgs) and 1380lbs (627kgs) Measuring by hand we calculated (((70×70)x75)/300)+50 = 1275lbs (580kgs) Close enough to reassure us that we’re feeding correctly and using the correct dose of horse wormer . To get any closer to the true weight of your horse you need access to a livestock scale. Origins of Measurements Math > Measurement Origins of Measurements In ancient times, the body ruled when it came to measuring. The length of a foot, the width of a finger, and the distance of a step were all accepted measurements.

Inch: At first an inch was the width of a man's thumb. In the 14th century, King Edward II of England ruled that 1 inch equalled 3 grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise. Hand: A hand was approximately 5 inches or 5 digits (fingers) across. Today, a hand is 4 inches and is used to measure horses (from the ground to the horse's withers, or shoulder). Span: A span was the length of the hand stretched out, about 9 inches. Foot: In ancient times, the foot was 111/42 inches. Today it is 12 inches, the length of the average man's foot. Yard: A yard was originally the length of a man's belt or girdle, as it was called. In the 12th century, King Henry I of England fixed the yard as the distance from his nose to the thumb of his out-stretched arm. Today it is 36 inches. Cubit: In ancient Egypt, a cubit was the distance from the elbow to the fingertips. Today a cubit is about 18 inches.

Lick: A Lick was used by the Greeks to measure the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger. Pace: The ancient Roman soldiers marched in paces, which were the length of a double step, about 5 feet; 1,000 paces was a mile. Today, a pace is the length of one step, 21/2 to 3 feet. Measurements Measurement in the Middle Ages Measurement in the Middle Ages Originally, the Imperial system of Measurement was based on that used in the Roman Empire, and during that time, all were standardized. After the collapse of the Empire, the definitions of the measurements began to wander a bit until by the 18th C, they were completely different in different countrys and often different in separate regions of the same country. Such was the situation in France at the time of the Revolution, and it was the need for a new standard that brought about the introduction of the Metric System. Eventually other countries adopted this new standard as well.

It should be noted that in the century since its adoption, the length of the meter has been redefined a number of times until a standard that was based on a real figure could be rationalized (I believe it's currently something like "the distance that light travels in 1.2 x 10^-9 seconds"). I'll define the major units first: Foot The length of a man's foot. A measure of length. From town to town, country to country, this measurement could differ, but as a rule a French Pied was equal to 12.8 English inches, while a Spanish Pie was 10.96 English inches Gallon An English measure of capacity. The imperial gallon contains 27714 cubic inches: the winegallon of 231 cubic inches is the standard in the United States. Pound A measure of weight and mass derived from the ancient Roman libra (which is equal to 327.25 grams), but this ancient standard has been modified variously over the course of time, and in different countries. The pound consisted originally of 12 ounces, corresponding more or less to that of troy weight.

This is still used by goldsmiths and jewellers in stating the weight of gold, silver, and precious stones; but as early as the thirteenth or fourteenth century a pound of sixteen ounces was used for more bulky commodities. This was made a standard for general purposes of trade by Edward III, and known as the pound aveir de peis, i.e. of merchandise of weight, now called avoirdupois, q.v. At other times the pound has varied locally from 12 to 27 ounces, according to the commodity, pounds of different weight being often used in the same place for different articles, as bread, butter, cheese, meat, malt, hay, wool, etc. Cup A measure of capacity for liquids (also for corn and other dry substances of powdery or granular nature), equal to half a quart or 1/8 of a gallon; of varying content at different times and places. A vessel holding a definite quantity (usually four ounces), used to receive the blood in blood-letting. Dram A weight, orig.

the ancient Greek drachma; hence, in Apothecaries' weight, a weight of 60 grains = 1/8 of an ounce; in Avoirdupois weight, of 27.13 grains = 1/16 of an ounce; = drachm Ell From the Latin "Ulna". A unit of linear measure equal to 45 inches. The word ell seems to have been variously taken to represent the distance from the elbow or from the shoulder to the wrist or to the finger-tips, while in some cases a "double ell" has superseded the original measure, and has taken its name. English ell = 45 in. Scots = 37.2 in. Flemish = 27 in. Finger (UK and historically) A unit of linear measure equal to the breadth of a finger, or about 3/4 inch. (US) A unit of linear measure equal to the length of a finger, or about 4 1/2 inches. Furlong Originally the distance an Ox could pull a plow before needing to rest, ie., "a furrow long". As early as the 9th c.

it was regarded as the equivalent of the Roman stadium, which was 18 of a Roman mile; and hence furlong has always been used as a name for the eighth part of an English mile, whether this coincided with the agricultural measure so called or not. The present statute furlong is 220 yards, and is equal both to the eighth part of a statute mile, and to the side of a square of 10 statute acres. Gill A measure for liquids, containing one fourth of a standard pint. In many districts the gill is equivalent to a half-pint, the quarter-pint being called a jack. Grain The weight of 1 Barleycorn (or one grain of Barley) Hand A unit of linear measure, formerly taken as equal to three inches, but now to four; a palm, a hand-breadth. Now used only in giving the height of horses and the like. Inch From the Latin "Uncia" (or a twelfth part), an inch is 1/12 Foot. A measure of length. In French, the unit of 1/12 a "foot" is the Pounce. In Spanish, Pulgadas. nb.

A 12th of a Pounce is a Ligne, and a 12th of a Pulgadas is a Lignas. English inches are traditionally divided into 12 Lines. English inches are also defined as being the length of "Three good sized barleycorns placed end to end". League An itinerary measure of distance, varying in different countries, but usually estimated roughly at about 3 miles; app. never in regular use in England, but often occurring in poetical or rhetorical statements of distance. Although the league appears never to have been an English measure, leuca occurs somewhat frequently in Anglo-Latin law-books (Bracton, Fleta, etc.); it is disputed whether in these works it means one mile or two. Mark A denomination of weight formerly employed (chiefly for gold and silver) throughout western Europe; its actual weight varied considerably, but it was usually regarded as equivalent to 8 ounces (= either 23 or 12 of a pound, according to the meaning given to the latter term). Mile Originally, the Roman lineal measure of 1,000 paces (mille passus or passuum), computed to have been about 1,618 yards.

Hence, the unit of measure derived from this, used in the British Isles and in other English-speaking countries. Its length has varied considerably at different periods and in different localities, chiefly owing to the influence of the agricultural system of measures with which the mile has been brought into relation (see furlong). The legal mile in Britain and the U.S. is now 1,760 yards (5280 feet). The Irish mile of 2,240 yards is still in rustic use. The obsolete Scottish mile was longer than the English, and probably varied according to time and place; one of the values given for it is 1,976 yards. Nail A measure of weight for wool, beef, etc., usually equal to eight pounds =clove A measure of land. A measure of length for cloth; 2.14 inches, or the 1/16th part of a yard. "The precise origin of this sense is not clear.

The use of the nail in early examples suggests that one sixteenth from the end of the yard-stick may have been marked by a nail." (OED) Ounce From the Latin "Uncia" (or a twelfth part), an ounce is 1/12 Pound (or was originally, and is still in "troy" weight). A measurement of weight. Pace A vague measure of distance with two widely differing definitions: Historically, the distance between successive stationary positions of the same foot or two "Steps", or about 5 feet (60 inches). The distance from where one foot is set down to where the other is set down, or about 2 1/2 feet (30 inches). Pint A measure of capacity for liquids (also for corn and other dry substances of powdery or granular nature), equal to 1/2 a quart or 1/8 of a gallon; of varying content at different times and places. Pint English. The pint is equal to 34.66 cubic inches. (US) The standard pint is that of the old wine measure, equal to 28.78 cubic inches.

The old Scotch pint was equal to about 3 imperial pints (104.2 cubic inches). In local use also a weight, e.g. of butter in East Anglia = 1 1/4lb. Pound, Merchantile (16 "Tower" oz.) is different from the Avoirdepois Pound (of 16 Avoirdepois oz), being a ratio of 36 Mercantile Pounds to 35 Avoirdepois Pounds Pound, Tower (12 "tower" oz.) used as a standard from Ethelred until Henry VIII abolished it in favor of the Troy Pound.

Quart 1 Pound (determined from the weight of the Anglo-Saxon penny) =312 grams 1 Pound (Italian - low end) = 300 grams 1 Roman Libre (12 Unciae) = 326 grams 1 Pound (12 Tower Ounces) = 349.9 grams 1 Pound (Italian - high end) = 350 grams 1 "Livre de Charlemagne" (12 Onces) = 367.5 grams 1 Pound (12 Troy Ounces) = 373.25 grams 1 Pound (16 Avoirdupois Ounces) = 453.6 grams 1 Pound (Hapsburg? low end) = 459 grams 1 Pound (Mercantile; 16 Tower Oz.) = 466.6 grams 1 Pound (Hapsburg?

high end) = 469 grams 1 Livre (French; 16 Onces) = 490 grams 1 Pound ("Scotch"; 16 "Troy Oz") = 493.1 grams 1 Pound ("Dutch"; 16 Troy Ounces) = 497.6 grams Centimeters to hands cm: hh: This page allows you to convert length values expressed in centimeters to their equivalent in hands. Enter the value in centimeters in the top field (the one marked "cm"), then press the "Convert" button or the "Enter" key. The converter also works the other way round: if you enter the value in hands in the "hh" field, the equivalent value in centimeters is calculated and displayed in the top field. Centimeter Centimeter is a unit of length used by the metric system. One centimeter is 1/100 of a meter, that means there are 100 centimetes in 1 meter. One inch is equal to 2.54 cm. The following line should be approximately 1 centimeter long: Hand Hand is a unit of length used to measure the height of horses.

One hand is 4 inches. © 2009-2014 Giorgio Arcidiacono | Disclaimer General Tables of Units of Measurement (all underlined figures are exact) 5. TABLES OF EQUIVALENTS In these tables it is necessary to differentiate between the "international foot" and the "survey foot;" the survey foot is underlined. When the name of a unit is enclosed in brackets (thus, [1 hand] . . . ), this indicates (1) that the unit is not in general current use in the United States, or (2) that the unit is believed to be based on "custom and usage" rather than on formal authoritative definition. Equivalents involving decimals are, in most instances, rounded off to the third decimal place except where they are exact, in which cases these exact equivalents are so designated. The equivalents of the imprecise units "tablespoon" and "teaspoon" are rounded to the nearest milliliter. = 1.000 004 square international miles 10 The angstrom is basically defined as 10-10 meter.

11 The term "statute mile" originated with Queen Elizabeth I who changed the definition of the mile from the Roman mile of 5000 feet to the statute mile of 5280 feet. The international mile and the U.S. statute mile differ by about 3 millimeters although both are defined as being equal to 5280 feet. The international mile is based on the international foot (0.3048 meter) whereas the U.S. statute mile is based on the survey foot (1200/3937 meter). 12 The international nautical mile of 1 852 meters (6 076.115 49...feet) was adopted effective July 1, 1954, for use in the United States. The value formerly used in the United States was 6 080.20 feet = 1 nautical (geographical or sea) mile. 13 The question is often asked as to the length of a side of an acre of ground. An acre is a unit of area containing 43 560 square feet. It is not necessarily square, or even rectangular.

But, if it is square, then the length of a side is equal to = 208.710+ feet. 14 There are a variety of "barrels" established by law or usage. For example, Federal taxes on fermented liquors are based on a barrel of 31 gallons; many State laws fix the "barrel for liquids" as 31-1/2 gallons; one State fixes a 36-gallon barrel for cistern measurement; Federal law recognizes a 40-gallon barrel for "proof spirits"; by custom, 42 gallons comprise a barrel of crude oil or petroleum products for statistical purposes, and this is recognized "for liquids" by four States. 15 Frequently recognized as 1-1/4 bushels, struck measure. 16 The equivalent "1 teaspoon = 1-1/3 fluid drams" has been found by the Bureau to correspond more closely with the actual capacities of "measuring" and silver teaspoons than the equivalent "1 teaspoon = 1 fluid dram", which is given by a number of dictionaries. 17 Used in assaying.

The assay ton bears the same relation to the milligram that a ton of 2000 pounds avoirdupois bears to the ounce troy; hence the mass in milligrams of precious metal obtained from one assay ton of ore gives directly the number of troy ounces to the net ton. 18 The gross or long ton and hundredweight are used commercially in the United States to only a very limited extent, usually in restricted industrial fields. The units are the same as the British "ton" and "hundredweight". 19 The gross or long ton and hundredweight are used commercially in the United States to only a very limited extent, usually in restricted industrial fields. The units are the same as the British "ton" and "hundredweight". Just How Tall IS a "Hand" Just how tall is a hand? by Shlei Equines are measured in units. Which unit of measure is used depends on the association doing the registration. Some registries use inches to determine size, since it is easier than trying to convert to hands. A hand is four inches. The story behind this unit of measurement is that a kind went to measure his favorite horse.

Not having a device to measuer with, he used the only thing he knew would be consistent: the palm of his hand. Since then, the hand has been the unit of measure for equines. The letters HH or hh after the numbers stand for Hands High. The single letter H or H may be used, standing just for "hands". Parts of a hand are given after the whole unit, following a decimal. 10.2 hands (can also be read as just Ten-two) means ten hands and two more inches. (4 inches x 10 hands equals 40 inches, plus two additional inches, so 10.2 is 42 inches tall). 10.3 would be 10 hands and 3 inches, forty-three (43) inches. There is no such thing as 10 hands 4 inches, as 4 inches would be an additional hand. However, even fractions of an inch can be listed, such as 10.3 � hh.

(Ten hands, 3 �" inches, or Ten-three and three-quarters: just �" shy of a full 11 hands.) 3.3 hands - 15 inches at the withers, the smallest horse ever documented. Too Small! But, this animal reportedly only lived to be two years old (just short of what anyone would call mature). 4.2 hands - 18 inches. A few Miniature foals are only 18 inches high at birth. 6 hands - 24 inches. There have been a few Miniature Horses reported at this height (short?) in recent years. 6.1 hands - 25 inches - unverified report of the smallest known mature Miniature Donkey 6.2 hands- 26 inches - the height of the smallest known breeding Miniature donkeys (in the USA) and also the height of the smallest known mule in the world (General Grant). 7 hands - 28 inches. A few Miniature donkeys this small, difficult for females in pregnancy and birthing. Animals this small prized in some circles, but conformation tends to suffer. Either malproportioned in some cases, or very tiny with weak bone.

7.2 - 30 inches. Was once being debated as the cut-off point for breeding size in Miniature donkeys (no plans by ADMS to do this) 8 hands - 32 inches. Miniature size for horse, donkey or mule. Good average for Miniature Donkey height. 9 hands - 36 inches - breakover point from Miniature to Small standard for donkeys with no pedigree (Maximum height 36") . Still miniature height for mules. 9.2 hands - 38 inches. Maximum allowable height for Miniature donkeys with BOTH parents registered as Miniature. Still classified as Oversized in MDR. 10 hands - 40 inches. Breakover for small standard to Standard donkeys. (Still Miniature height for mules) 11 hands - 44 inches. Standard donkeys in this height range. Common height for most of the Plains zebras (Grants, Damaraland, Chapmans) 12 hands - 48 inches. The breakover from Standard to Large Standard in donkeys 12.2 hands - 50 inches. The breakover from Miniature to Saddle Mules.

13 hands - 52 inches - large Standard donkeys. Considered Pony height in horse breeds. Top end height for zebras, only Grevy's species usually get this tall. 13.2 hands - 54 inches - breakover from Large Standard to Mammoth height in Jennets 14 hands - 56 inches - breakover point from Large Standard to Mammoth for Jacks and Geldings 14.2 - 58 inches - in horses considered the line between Pony (under 14.2) and horse height. Typical size of many Mustangs, although a recent infusion of outside blood in some herds produces larger animals now. 15 hands - 60 inches - typical for many saddle horse breeds, mules, and reaching the top end for Mammoth height. About average height for Arabians and some Gaited breeds. 16 hands - 64 inches. Getting pretty large for a donkey, but a few jacks reported close to this height. Typical range for saddle mules, draft horses, and many saddle horse breeds. 17 hands - 68 inches.

Extremely large for a donkey, they tend to "fall apart" in conformation at this height. Commonly seen in some Draft horse breeds, Warmbloods, and a few saddle mules. 18 hands - 72 inches. A few specimens this tall, but unusual in all but a few breeds, mainly Warmblood or Drafters. 19 hands - 76 inches! (6 foot, 4" at the withers). Taller than most men! 19.1 hands - 77 inches high, 6 foot 5 inches at the withers. The height of the tallest Mule in the World, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Apollo, (b 1977, in TN) is listed with teammate Anak at 18.3. (75 inches) 20 hands - 80 inches. 21 hands - 84 inches 21.2 � hands - 86 � inches at the withers. Tallest horse ever documented, a Shire gelding named Sampson (aka Mammoth with good reason!) measured in 1850 and listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

How do you measure an equine? You must use a measuring stick, with a cross-piece and preferably a level. Stand the animal on a hard, level surface (a drive, aisle, or sheet of plyboard). A muddy field or uneven ground won't give you an accurate reading. Place the level/crossbar at the withers. The stick should be straight up-and-down and not leaning. Measure at the top of the withers (the last hair of the mane on most equines). If you are not sure where to measure, put a small treat like a bit of apple or carrot on the ground in front of the animal. Look at the shoulders when they put their head down. The part of the shoulders that sticks up HIGHEST when their head is down is where you measure to. If you try to measure just using a flexible tape measure you won't get an accurate measurement. A version of using the tape used to be called "Jackstock Measuring" and resulted in additions of fractions of an inch to more than 2" to an animals height. Measure three times, and average the readings if you have to. You will find it's very hard to make an animal measure up exactly the same every time.

Remember, too, that measuring should be done when the animals hooves are freshly trimmed, or at least of proper length. Long toes and the addition of shoes can add to a height. Height measurements should not be given in most cases in fractions of anything smaller than 1/8 of an inch. A thick winter coat or a little extra hoof can cause that much difference with ease.

Question: What unit of measurement, the equivalent to four inches, is used in the measurement of horses?
Answer: Hand